Your Dental Care Shouldn't Be Less Important Than Your Health Care

When you're sick, you call your doctor. Keeping your body healthy is important. You make it a point to visit your doctor regularly so you can make sure that you are healthy and detect problems early.

But if you have a toothache, you probably just take some pain killers and deal with it. You might skip out on regular dental visits or even let your oral hygiene routine go to the wayside.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is a serious condition. As it progresses, bacteria that once infected your gums have gone below the gum line to attack your teeth and bone. When you neglect your dental care, your risk for developing gum disease greatly increases. Your gums recede, your teeth become infected and that infection can spread into your blood stream.

Tooth Loss

Neglecting your oral care for too long can result in tooth loss. When this happens, you start to notice changes to your mouth and face. You jawbone begins to deteriorate, which changes their shape. Your remaining teeth may begin shifting in your mouth and throwing off your bite, which can then lead to uneven wear on your teeth.

TMD

Tooth loss, and an uneven bite, can then lead to temporomandibular disorder. This is because your jaw is no longer in alignment. Pressure is put on your jaw and the joint connecting the upper and lower portions, your temporomandibular joint, and leads to pain, a condition known as temporomandibular disorder (TMD).

Other Health ComplicationsYour dental care and your health care are actually connected. This is because the health of your mouth can affect your overall health. When gum disease gets out of control, bacteria spreads into the blood stream.

Once there, it travels throughout the rest of your body, causing issues with other systems. Poor oral health has been connected to heart disease, diabetes, kidney issues and some types of cancer.

Don't neglect your dental health, thinking it less important than your health care. Make sure you brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss. And don't forget to visit your dentist at least twice a year for cleanings and exams.